bob wachter

Can the physical examination save us from the dehumanization of medicine?

By ROBERT WACHTER In last week’s NEJM, physician-author Abraham Verghese paints a disturbing picture of a medical world in which technology has morphed from tool to object, the patient relegated to a...

Resident Duty Hours and Patient Safety: Did The IOM Get It Right?

By Bob Wachter The Institute of Medicine just released its long-awaited report on trainee duty hours. It is well researched and balanced, and its recommendations appropriately reflect what we know...

Are Hospitalists Recession Proof?

By BOB WACHTER Hospitals aren’t the first businesses hurt when the economy sours, but they get hurt nonetheless, as an article in last week’s NY Times points out. But hospitalists have never lived...

Are Hospitals Recession Proof?

By BOB WACHTER Hospitals aren’t the first businesses hurt when the economy sours, but they get hurt nonetheless, as an article in last week’s NY Times points out. But hospitalists have never lived...

Can a Hospital Afford to Share Its Warts with the Public?

By BOB WACHTER Paul Levy, the blogging CEO at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, has staked his – and his hospital’s – reputation on a culture of transparency. Although no doubt partly...

Overregulating patient safey

By Bob Wachter In responding to dysfunctional systems, America instinctively turns to “more regulation” (Exhibit A: today’s Wall Street). But regulation can, and often does, go too far, and – in...

Shout out to Adam Singer, physician entrepreneur of the year

By Bob Wachter Modern Physician just named Adam Singer, the founder of IPC -- The Hospitalist Company, its first annual Physician Entrepreneur of the Year. Adam and I don’t always see eye to eye, but...

Big administrator is watching you

By Bob Wachter Last week, came the announcement that Suzanne Delbanco, founding director of the Leapfrog Group, has assumed the presidency of a company that tracks compliance with safety and quality...

Using video surveillance to improve quality

By Bob Wachter Last week, came the announcement that Suzanne Delbanco, founding director of the Leapfrog Group, has assumed the presidency of a company that tracks compliance with safety and quality...

Creating a Facebook-like medical record

By Bob Wachter The explosive growth of Facebook and MySpace illustrates the market for electronic tools to enhance communication and collaboration. Could there possibly be another workplace more in...